READING COMPREHENSION

An old lady was walking down the middle of a street in a large city to the great confusion of the
traffic and with no small peril to herself. It was pointed out to her that the pavement was the place for
the foot passengers, she replied, I am going to walk where I like. We have got liberty now. It did not
occur to the old lady that if liberty is entitled to the foot passengers to walk down the middle of the
road, it is also entitled to the cab driver to drive on the pavement, and that the end of such liberty would
be universal chaos. Everybody would be getting in everybodys way and nobody would get anywhere.
Individual liberty would become social anarchy. There is a danger of the society getting liberty drunk in
these days, and it is just as well to remind ourselves what the rule of the road means. In order that the
liberties of everybody may be preserved, the liberties of everybody must be curtailed. When a
policeman steps into the middle of the road and puts out his hand, he is a symbol not of tyranny but of
liberty.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q: Why was the old lady walking down the middle of the street?
Ans: The old lady was walking down the middle of the street because she thought she could walk
where she liked with the liberty they had got then.
Q: What would have happened if the lady were allowed her way?
Ans: If the lady were allowed her way, the cab driver would have the right to drive on the pavement. The
result of such liberty would be universal chaos. There would be a mix up and nobody would get
anywhere.
Q: What should be done to preserve the liberties of everybody?
Ans: To preserve the liberties of everybody, the liberties of everybody must be curtailed.
Q: What does a policeman symbolize?
Ans: The policeman symbolizes liberty.
Find words from the above passage that are similar in meaning to the following:
Q: danger
Ans: Peril
Q: a situation in a country, an organization, etc. in which there is no government, order or control
Ans: Anarchy
Q: unfair or cruel use of power or authority
Ans: Tyranny